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Tlie Stonj of Mitcliell 

A Legend oi tlie "Land ol tlie Skvj" 
by G. W. Belk 



Copijriglit Jdij 

GEORGE W. BELK 
1916 



STONE PUBLISHING CO. 

Cliarlotte, N. C. 

Price, FiJEty Cents 



^^<^ 

"^X^,^^ 



p' 



£2- 

JUL 25 1916 



©CI.A435945 



To all wlio ckerisli tke memorij 
of 

DR. ELISHA MITCHELL 

and love 

THE "LAND OF THE SKY" 

tliese lines are respectlullv) dedicatea 
Lvj tke Autkor 




Summit of Mt. Mitcliell 

Altitude 6,711 ft. 

Not far from tke Railroad Station 




Rev. Elislia Mitcliell, D. D. 

1793—1857 
EV. ELISHA MITCHELL, wlio dis-^ 

covered tliat "Black Dome", now Mt. 

Mitcliell, is die lii^liest point East of 

tlie Rockij Mountains, slipped and fell, and 

was lound eleven daijs later in a pool or 

lake of water, kij Bi^ Tom 

Wilson. He is buried on tlie 

top of tlie Mountain, and a 

monument w^ill he placed tliere 

in tlie near future, to mark liis 

resting place. 

Dr. Mitcliell was a native of Connecticut, a graduate 
of Yale, and for fortij ijears a distinguislied Professor in tlie 
Nortli Carolina Universitij, and greatlij Leloved. 

Li 181 9, lie was liappikj married to Miss Mariali Nortli, 
of New London, Connecticut, an "Elect Ladij". 

In 1821, lie was ordained to tlie Gospel Ministrij Lxj 
Orange PresLijtertj, a clear, strong preaclier. 

In 1844, lie made tlie disco verij tliat "Black Dome" 
was tlie kigliest point of land East of tlie Mississippi River. 
Later some disputation liaving arisen, lie went Lack v/itli liis 
son, and one of daugliters, to confirm liis claim. Leaving tlieni 
on Saturdaij, June 27, 1857, promising to return Mondaij, lie 
started over tlie top, to a settlement keijond tlie mountain. 
Tliat was tlie last time lie was seen alive. 

Mt. Mitcliell is 6,711 leet, lavit the railroad makes it easvj now to reach 
this hitherto almost iiiaccessiLle height. 




Tliis is tlie Wonderful "Land of tlie Sktj" 



Fl 



oreeii 



I. 



Afar Irom tlie surl ol tlie sounding sea, 

And tlie low sand dunes wliere tlie Trade Winds plaij, 
Tlirou^li swamp and sag wliere tlie cijpress tree 

And tlie tall pines wliisper and swing and swaij; 
Westward, and on, over rolling plains, 

Wliere tlie low kills lie in tlieir sweet repose. 
And tlie fields are glad lor tlie recent rains, 

And tlie freezes bringing tlie Lreatli ol tlie rose; 
Bvj citij and village, to lelt and riglit. 

Crossing tlie rivers and westward still, 
Till tlie vales ol tlie Piedmont pass Irom siglit, 

And onward and upward, from kill to kill, 
YoLi gaze on tlie Llue peaks far and liigk. 

And tliis is tlie wonderful "Land ol tlie Skij". 




"Oil, Sir, I'm deli^lited to find tjou liere, 

A RoLjal Welcome to You I Give, 
For tkis is tke laud wliere tlie Fairies live' 



11. 

Have ijou lieard oi tlie keautiful Skijlaiid Queen, 

W lioni tlie NTjniplis ana tlie Fairies named Floreen ? 
Near tlie Crest, Idij tlie Hi^lilanders called Black Dome, 

In a moss-lined cave, is lier roijal liome! 
Tliis mijstical queen oi tlie "Land ol tlie Skij" 

Has seldom keen seen Lij mortal eije; 
>Aritli Nijmplis and Fairies slie keeps lier trijst. 

But passes Lij men in a veil oi mist. 



III. 

1 ot some, wlien tlie midiii<^lit v/inds v/ere still, 

Have lieard lier voice, on tlie moon-lit liill; 
And otliers, awaking from slumbers sweet, 

Have marked tlie fall of lier fairij feet; 
And ijou ve no doubt lieard of tlie mountaineer, 

Wlio liad lost liis v/aij, and wliile resting liere. 
Heard Nijmplis and Fairies cliantin^ a tune, 

And saw lier dance bij tlie li^lit of tlie moon! 




Tlie Crest bvj tlie Hi^lilanders 
called "Black Dome" 



IV. 

Some tliink lier tlie Gotlin tliat liaunts tlie wood; i 

But otliers declare slie is kind and ^ood; i 

Wlien cattle afar on tlie mountains roam, i 

one often lias stopped tliem and turned tliem lionie; j 
And manv) a cliild tliat was lost, tlieij saij, 

Slie lias led Lack liome Idij tlie smootliest w^aij; , 

Yet all a^ree tliat tliis matcliless Queen ' 

Has tlie fairest face tliat was ever seen. I 



V. 



But slie clierislied a Propliecij in lier Lreast, 

For it said: "Some daij, on tliis loftij crest. 
You 11 meet witli tlie princekj man, wliose name 

Sliall be linked witli ijours in immortal fame; 
And wlietlier liis coming he earlij or late, 

Onkj he patient and watcli and wait." 
So slie watclied and waited tlirou^li passing uears, 

But saw liim not 'nion^ tlie mountaineers. 



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Rev. Elisha MitcKell, D. D. 



VI. 

One eve, tripping in tlirougli tlie tranquil air, 

And belioldin^ Mitcliell standing tliere, 
Slie said in lier lieart, as slie viewed liim o'er; 

"His like lias never Leen liere tefore"; 
For, full on liis lace fell tlie soft sunsliine, 

Tliat ^ave it a radiance almost Divine! 
Tlien out from tlie sliadow slie stepped witli ease. 

As lier veil fell Lack on a passing breeze. 
And a vision of lovliness, tliere slie stood, 

Surpassing tlie Leautij of flesli and blood! 
And tlie robe tliat slie wore was of Fairij clotli, 

As soft and smootli as tlie dow^n of a motli. 




"Tliis is tlie Land Wlaere llie Fairies Live' 



VIL 

But lie saw lier not as slie ^lidea dtj, 

For liis ^aze was fixed on tlie flowing skij; 
Slie spoke, — and. tlie tone oi eacli silverij word 

Was tlie sweetest a mortal liad ever lieard, 
And tlieij lell like melodij soft and clear; 

"Oil, sir, I'm deli^lited to find ijou liere! 
A roijal welcome to ijou I ^ive. 

For tliis is tlie land w^liere tlie Fairies live. 
An Oracle told me ijou'd come some daij 

To measure tliis summit, and open tlie waij 
For countless tliousands wlio now sliall come 

Mij realm to Leliold from tliis matcliless dome. 




Mt. Mitcliell in tlie Distance. 



VIII. 

Surprised — for lie tliou^nt tliere was no one near — 

Witli mingled emotions of joij and fear, 
And a litde starded, lie turned to see 

Wliat manner of person tlie speaker mi^lit be; 
And tliere stood tlie wonderful Skijland Queen, 

Tlie lovliest creature tliat ever w^as seen! 
But, liow^ever winning lier outward cliarm. 

He someliow felt tliat slie meant liim liarm; 
And recalling tlie Scripture liow Satan mi^lit 

Transform liimself into an An^el of li<^lit. 
He answered: "All, ijou are tlie Spirit, I ^uess, 

Tliat tempted imj Lord in tlie w^ilderness! 

IX. 

But sweetlij slie said: "I'm tlie Sktjland Queen, 

Wliom Nijmplis and Fairies call Floreen; 
Tliou^li Mortals liave often misunderstood. 

And called me tlie GoLlin tliat liaunts tlie wood, 
Yet no one lias ever Leen liarmed kij me. 

And tlie ^lorij and cliarm of mij realm are free; 
For life and Leautij and liealtli are liere, 

Tlie blessing tliat Mortals e§teem most dear. 




But ill liis confusion lie missed tlie trail 
Tliat led down safeKi to tlie vale." 



X. 

"But listen; for mucli is revealed to me, 

Of tlie wonderful tilings tliat are vjet to he; 
Your labors snail crown ijou w^itn nonor and fame, 

And tliis ^reat mountain sliall Lear vjour name; 
And men snail come, witli uncovered trow, 

To lionor tlie spot wliere Ljou're standing now; 
And, tliis glorious, liealtli-'^ivin^ 'Land of tlie Sky', 

Sliall he loved more and more as tlie vjears ^o Lij' 



XI. 



So saijin^, slie faded awaij into air, 

Leaving liim lost in amazement tliere; 
But lie saw as a Seer in a trance maij see, 

Tlie ^lorij of tilings tliat are ijet to he; 
For rising in Leautij before liis eijes, 

Tliere spread a bri^lit vision of Paradise! 
But wliile lie was standing in rapture tliere, 

A ITeavenlij Convoij w^as cleaving tlie air, 
And tlie Cliariot tliat Lore Good Elijali awaij. 

Was coming for liim at tlie close of tlie daij! 




'And over tlie mountains, Ltj ni^lit and Lvj d< 



Til 



eu souAn 



t for liim, tliinkinA lie'd lost liis wau 



XII. 

At leii^tn lie awoke Irom liis Leautilul dream, 

And saw Llj tke sunset's lading gleam, 
Tliat lie dare not linger, nor longer staij. 

So tiiming lie rapidlij walked awaij; 
But in liis conmsion lie missed tlie trail 

Tkat led dow^n salelvf to tlie vale. 
And rambled in w^aijs tliat lie did not know^, 

Till slipping, lie clung to tlie rock Lelow, 
But tlie Angels cauglit tlie briglit spirit awaij, 

And no tiling lell Lack but liis mantle of clav). 

XIII. 

rloreen, gliding dow^n, gentlij lilted liis liead. 

But saw^ in a moment that lie w^as dead; 
Tlien llow^ed tlie tears from lier streaming eijes, 

Wiiile tlie rocks resounded w^itli lier cries; 
And lor daLjs and niglits in lier deep despair, 

Slie sat Lt) liis lifeless Lodij tliere; 
And tlie tears of sorrow tliat fell for liis sake, 

Flowed constantkj, forming a laclirvjmal lake! 
But wlien tlie fount of lier tears ran drij, 

Ske sent to Heaven a pitiful crvj. 
And Legged tliat tliis Rock, so cruel and steep. 

Be evermore made for tliis deed to weep; 
So tlie Fiat went fortli tliat tlie Rock oketj 

And weep, as a penaltij, niglit and daij! 




Tlieij iouud liim tliere in tlie Lake of Tears. 



XIV. 

Meaiiwliile liis Irieiids, in tlieir deep distress, 

Were seejcin^ liiiii all tlirou^li tlie wilderness; 
And over tlie mountains, Lv) ni^lit, and Lij daij, 

Tlieij sou^lit lor liim, tliinkin^ lie'd lost Lis wav|; 
And led tij Wilson, tall and strong, 

Tlie searcli was wide, and tlie searcli was lon^; 
At last, w^lien faint w^itli increasing fears, 

Tlieij found liim tliere in tlie Lake of Tears! 

XV. 

Tlien^loreen, tlie Leautiful, made request, 

Tliat liis matcliless Lodij be laid to rest 
In tlie place wliere slie saw liim tliat fatal dat), 

Wliere slie miglit watcli o'er liis graye. alwavj; 
And, tliat men he sent to select a Llock, '' 

For liis Monument, from tlie Native Rock, 
And skilfulkj sculpture, in outline fair, 

Tlie Face and tlie Name of Mitcliell, tliere. 



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